Expensive Veiled

[weezyboi94]

Went to the petshop recently to checkout the new shiptment come through and saw a few veileds and some other reptiles. I was looking to purchase another chameleon(veiled) and so i proceeded in asking the price. Guess what the lady says...? 1050 dirhams thats 290$ TO BE EXACT.

The prices were of 4 week old babies, and i found the cost just outrageous because I had previously bought a sternfeldi from them for around 80$, and now they decide to try a con me by selling at this steep price.

I spoke to the manager and she claimed that the veiled babies are CH and imported from the UK. Could this possiby be why they cost so much?.
I would aso like to know if any of you would pay this much to buy a 4 week old veiled.?

 

[HUBSonDUBS]

Well in the states they are $30, so no I wouldnt pay 10x that.

 

[Rosie42892]

It is also odd to me that they would be selling you a 4 week old baby. Most breeders wait until atleast 2-3 months.

 

[weezyboi94]

It is also odd to me that they would be selling you a 4 week old baby. Most breeders wait until atleast 2-3 months.

My bad... I ment 4 months and they are housed(6 of them) in a 20 gallon aquarium. Other than that i cant find any faults in their husbandry as they have proper uvb lighting,temps,humidity and food. Still to crowded though.

 

[andy123]

over here there about £60 so whatever that converts into

but yh that seems quiet abit steep for a veiled

 

[laurie]

We call that highway robbery over here! When they have trouble selling at that price maybe they will come down to reasonable.

 

[satch4684]

I guess $30-50 is the normal price here in US. although the last time I looked in any petshops, which was a few years back, they seemed to always ask about 70-80 bucks for a small vieled.

 

[serenitystarlite]

The chain petstores around here will charge $80-100 for baby veileds and the petstore I got Kami and Jasmine from had a full grown male for $150, but Jasmine was only $45 as a baby. $290 is extremely overpriced for a veiled.

 

[fl orchidslave]

Yikes! I agree with the highway robbery statement!

 

[Cham101]

way to much

I sell my babies(2.5-3months) for $40 and they go up roughly $10 per month that they grow. at least that is how i do it... The Pet stores that buy chameleons for $40 each from us sell them for $99 or so..

 

[DragonLady]

Way to high! You can buy a very nice captive hatched veiled from members here, or some of the site sponsors, pay shipping, and still not spend that much. I would definitely buy from someone here before buying from a pet store.

 

[weezyboi94]

Way to high! You can buy a very nice captive hatched veiled from members here, or some of the site sponsors, pay shipping, and still not spend that much. I would definitely buy from someone here before buying from a pet store.

I dont think thats possible to ship overseas. Is it?. Because if it is, anyone with a veiled costing 40$ and lower(excluding shipping), pm me now and i will surely buy from you if possible.

 

[SpinyFranky]

I dont think thats possible to ship overseas. Is it?. Because if it is, anyone with a veiled costing 40$ and lower(excluding shipping), pm me now and i will surely buy from you if possible.

Unless you have permits to have the animal shipped, then no you are not gonna get one from out of the country.

What I find funny..... is that the lady is telling you they are from the UK and imported.....

The veiled chameleon's natural habitat is Yemen and parts of SA, so I find it ridiculous that she would go so far as to import from the UK.

Most probably they are from a WC mother, and that was her excuse to jack up the price.

Search around, you are so close to the natural habitat of the animal that I have no doubt's there are local breeders in your area selling CB animals for much much less than what she is charging you.

 

[weezyboi94]

Unless you have permits to have the animal shipped, then no you are not gonna get one from out of the country.

What I find funny..... is that the lady is telling you they are from the UK and imported.....

The veiled chameleon's natural habitat is Yemen and parts of SA, so I find it ridiculous that she would go so far as to import from the UK.

Most probably they are from a WC mother, and that was her excuse to jack up the price.

Search around, you are so close to the natural habitat of the animal that I have no doubt's there are local breeders in your area selling CB animals for much much less than what she is charging you.

Oh believe me i've searched alot around. Not many people here interested in chameleons...can you believe that. Most like snakes and iguanas.
If i dont find a cheaper cham available, I actually plan on going to Oman and obtaining a Chamaeleo arabicus, a species very similar to a veiled...
No chameleons in the U.A.E though, way to hot and its mostly desert here.

Still open to any offers from abroad.

 

[SpinyFranky]

Oh believe me i've searched alot around. Not many people here interested in chameleons...can you believe that. Most like snakes and iguanas.
If i dont find a cheaper cham available, I actually plan on going to Oman and obtaining a Chamaeleo arabicus, a species very similar to a veiled...
No chameleons in the U.A.E though, way to hot and its mostly desert here.

Still open to any offers from abroad.

merrrrr..... thats strange.

Im not familiar with the UAE, but do you guys have any dedicated reptile forums/clubs?

that would be my suggestion for a search.

To get cites permits + cost of animal from abroad + paying the airlines to overnight it to you..... in my opinion is likely to run you more than what the pet shop lady was asking for.

Importing chameleons is usually very expensive, which is why importers get the animals in the hundreds at a time ( over estimation? ) to save as much money as they can, and from what I understand about cites... if you get the permit it allows you to say import 150 veileds.... and while you just want one, the price is not accommodating and remains expensive.

 

[weezyboi94]

No local clubs or forums
Then i guess i'll have to wait until i go to Oman or until the other petshops stock some veileds, because this is just ridiculous.

 

[adamkwas]

Have those been there a while? I was visiting Dubai mid-March and saw those guys in Animal world. I didn't inquire to the price- but that place has always been overpriced. I bought a Ch. gracilis for 500 Dirhahams. My Chilean rose hair tarantula was 650 Dirhams!

Anyway, It's not offen captive bred/hatched chameleons are available in Dubai. If you're willing to spend the money- capitalize on the opportunity.

Don't mean to hijack this thread... but how are/is your T. sternfeldi doing?


Adam

 

[weezyboi94]

Thats the one Adam...Animal world. Melea is doing great and her offspring have been handed to various new owners..!!

 

[Jono]

Interesting to see the different prices around the world.

3 month old veiled average around R750 (South African Rands which is about US$100)

 

[jojackson]

Paid $450.00 for mine @ 3weeks old (thats $415 US at the current rate & that was nearly 18 months ago)
Good reason though, and I consider any price you are willing to pay, well worth it.
Each to his/her own.